Monday Meanderings 8 - 17 - 2026

Have you checked the date recently?  I just realized we are half way through August.  How can that be?  I need to get hopping on some projects especially the monthly UFO challenge. I'm still attempting to get the July project -- finishing a top including 8 or 10 new 6" blocks -- done. August is putting a set of blocks into a top.  That one may still happen when I head down to Sharon's house the last full week of August. Fingers are crossed though.  Now on to my goals this week. 

8/10/26

✅Make progress on Idiom challenge — minimal but it will continue to grace my goals until it is done! 

✅Find border fabric and put on Hen & Her Chicks — done!

✅Empty two project boxes — one was emptied and immediately filled with Marigold Mystery fabrics and blocks. 2 of the 9 blocks for August were completed. 

✔️Finish string quilt top — Taking the paper off the rows is very time consuming. Two have been sewn together.

✅✅Quilt 2 quilts one for me, one for quilt guild — both were for the guild. 

✔️Continue making 6” blocks for Aug July UFO Challenge — one done several block choices were decided. 

Here's Hens and Her Chicks.  FYI -- the 9 patches are made with 1.5" unf. squares. I used them as leader enders for a long time.  Then they sat until I cut the extra pieces and took it to a retreat in October '25. I didn't do anything on it until the July retreat this year when I put it together, except for the borders. I generally put borders on at home where I can spread out more.  This quilt came from Quilts for the Heart by Karin Renaud.  There are a few more patterns in that book that I want to make so I'll have more leader enders to do over the next few years. (Yep it'll take me a while to get more of these quilts made considering all the UFOs I have.) Hopefully I can find a backing fabric for this 👇🏼 top -- soon!

No filled project box to share but I can show the fabrics that I stashed in it. 

From left to right dark teal will be the accent fabric. The orange is a wide back that will be general background fabric. The beige will be the blocks background.  The smaller pieces of the fabric on the top and bottom of the orange are for the blocks.  Since this picture I've added a few more pieces. (Actually, I removed the dark green on the far right of the upper section as it didn't look right...not enough blue in it.) These fabrics are all for Meadow Mist Designs newest mystery quilt, Marigold Mystery.  You can find out all about it here. Or click on the Mysteries tab at the top of the blog and then click on Marigold Mystery.  It's going to be another great event. 

Here's the second quilt I quilted for my local guild.  Both quilts are destined to be wheelchair quilts. I used Omni grey thread and Quick and Easy Swirls by My Creative Stitches.  And, yes, it was really fast.  I thought this was a cool pattern. I'm guessing the pattern used a jelly roll. But I don't know for sure as I just quilted it. 

Here's what I'm hoping to make progress on this week.

8/17/26

Quilt one of my quilts

Plan projects for in-home retreat in NC 

Start sewing the Idiom Challenge project

Make more blocks for July UFO

Make Marigold Mystery blocks

Continue hand quilting fall applique block

I've continued to sew something every day this week.  It's great to be retired and be able to sew to my heart's content. Here are the stats!

Week ending 8/16/26: 228 days of 2026.

 227 stitching days out of 228 days 99.5%

I've continued to work on my hand quilting project.  You can see more of the project here and a complete picture here. Today's picture is a closeup of one of the appliqués. I've finished 4 designs completely. After I finish this one 👇🏼 only 4 more are left.  

Some, like this one are more involved but there are a few more fairly easy ones left to do.  Once all of these designs are outlined I'll be able to put the binding on it. It sounds like there may be a finished UFO in the next couple of weeks.  It will look great on the holder above the fire place this fall. 

Time to remind everyone of the Linky parties.  Check these blogs out. 

Stitching Time 

Oh Scrap

Quilting Patchwork Applique 

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings

I thought I'd share the last bunch of fat quarters I bought from Connecting Threads. I really like having colorful bundles of go-with fabrics. I get the daily Stash Saver email from CT and sometimes I purchase these great fat quarters. For the time being I've put these in their own box. Don't they make you want to use them? 

How about telling us how you store your fat quarters.  Do they go by color with your yardage? Do you keep them in a drawer?  For the last 20 years or so I keep my fat quarters in box tops.  When I was working I was in an elementary school where a LOT of paper was used.  The paper cases were fairly large as 2 stacks of reams were in each box and these boxes came with lids.  I started saving them and using them for fat quarters. I have a Longerberger basket (or two) that I also used for fat quarters.  Here's what some looked like in our old house. 

If I ever clean up my current shelves and box tops I'll take a picture to share.  They are all a mess now.  Dare I admit that my stack of blue fabrics is so high I can't add anymore to it? -- It's hit the bottom of next shelf up! 

Hope you can stay cool this week. Our temps aren't all that bad but the humidity is oppressive. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 6 - 22 - 2026

Happy Father's Day -- at least here in America. We were able to spend part of it with our son and his family. I hate to complain about the weather so I'll say we've had some wonderful days with low humidity and reasonable summer temps. We may have a lot of rain this week.  My weather saying is wait a few days it will change! Do you say that about weather where you live? 

Here's what I got done this week.  It was satisfying to move forward on all of these goals. 

6/15/26

✅Bind 1 quilt — Done.

✅Cut one quilt kit — Done. 

✅Make more ✔️Veronica blocks and ✔️✔️Hollow 9 patches — 3 blocks were made. Another two are started. All the blocks for Hollow 9 patches are finished. 

✅Baste Fall Blocks top (June ufo challenge project)— Done. 

✅Check a couple of project boxes, empty, and put away fabric if project is finished — One zippered pouch was liberated. 

Here's the finished quilt with binding. My grands helped me out with holding the quilt.  You can read more about it here. 

Before we left for our son's house I was able to finish pin basting the fall quilt.👇The blocks are old -- 10 or 12 years old. Last year I put the finished blocks into a quilt. And then I let it sit for a while. I did put it on my 2026 UFO Challenge I do with Sharon.  Its number came up for June.  

At one point I was thinking of doing some more applique blocks but decided I probably couldn't do the hand appliqué as nicely as I did the original blocks.  And, we have a quilt hanger over the fireplace where this would fit beautifully. It's about 38" square. I will be quilting it with my domestic machine and a walking foot.  My preliminary plan is to stitch around each square but in the black and gold fabric. I'll stitch in the ditch on the outside of the small gold border. I will probably do something in the middle of the black border. You might notice I'm not talking about the rust rectangles. 

Well, lazy me says stitch in the ditch and call it done. The more artistic me says, maybe some parallel lines 1" or so apart. Or a checkerboard on the diagonal.  I will probably do some parallel lines using whatever size masking tape I have to mark them. But it is going to take way more time than this last week of June!  I'll try to keep you posted on my progress. 

I have way too many projects started and am using way too many project boxes and plastic zippered bags. I did check one of the boxes and found it full of fabrics with an ocean theme. I know I've made one quilt from the fabric but there is a lot more. The quilt kit I cut was made from 5" squares of the same fabric. It will stay in the box until I make some more quilts out of it.  It's going to take a while! Plus there is another project in the box that I didn't even look at but I think it is also ocean scenes. Oh my!

Here are my goals for this week. Wait, how did I get sooooo many items on the list? 

6/22/26 

Start quilting Fall Blocks (June ufo challenge project)

Finish two more Veronica blocks that are already started

Keep checking project boxes and/or zippered pouches to free them up for other projects

Work on Snowman #2

Knit a beanie

Start table runner for retreat  

I may not get to everything but I hope I can get some of each of these projects done.  

I did sew everyday this week including spending some time this morning finishing the pin basting before we left for our son's house. I'm glad I did as we stayed later than planned and I was unmotivated* when we got home. (*I admit I fell asleep on the couch while trying to read!) 

So I was successful on sewing every day this week. 

Week ending 6/21/26:  172 days of 2026.

  172 stitching days out of 172 days. 100%

I notice I often make mistakes on the info regarding sewing every day.  Last week was a big one when I said I'd stitch 158 of 165 days.  OOPS! I'll try to proofread better but don't hold your breath! 

Now another quilt my friend Sharon quilted while here last week. 

This is her version of Cheryl Brickey's Magnificent Mystery.  You can see my top here.  It's amazing how differently they look but they are the same pattern.  I'll get around to quilting mine someday! 

Please spend some time checking out these Linky Parties.  Lots of fun pics and info about what quilters around the world are doing. 

Stitching Time 

Oh Scrap

Quilting Patchwork Applique 

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings

I've got 3 more weeks to get ready for retreat with friends. We rent a house in the Shenandoah mountains and sew for 6 days. So, lots of projects need to be readied.  I generally take about 6. I think I have two or three ready so far. I think I'll check some of my projects that are sitting around waiting to be worked on. That's better than starting new projects for sure.  We also need to plan a dinner with another attendee.  I have it easy as I usually do dessert and a salad while a friend does the main dinner. Dinners are very good. We bring our own breakfasts and lunches. It is a great week to spend sewing times with good friends I don't see as often. 

How is your quilting going? Do you keep a goals list or just tackle what ever you feel like each week? I hope you get a lot of stitching done this week. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 5 -- 11 -- 2026

Do you ever have weeks where you have a lot of great plans but kind of peter out in the actual doing of said plans? That was me this week. I was more interested in reading then stitching so much time was spent on that pastime.  I succeeded in reading 3 of the 4 books that came in last week.  The other one I have a bit more time but I doubt if I'll finish it before it is due.  I'll probably put it back on hold, but maybe not. Time will tell. 

I did pretty well on my goals last week.  Take a look. 

5/4/26

✅Quilt Cats in Pajamas — done. 

✅Finish Quilting Trip Around the World for Nancy — done and returned. 

✅Work on UFO Challenge for May — progress is being made.

✅Trim Dash blocks — done.

✔️Cut one quilt kit — started. 

My daughter asked me to quilt an Elizabeth Hartman quilt for her.  We had a pretty long time line so I agreed. It was my priority this week. Unfortunately she lives in Maryland so it is a trip to get to her place or vice versa. I think we're going to pick a quilt store between the two of us, meet there, turn over the quilt, and go for lunch. But that's happening next week. In the meantime enjoy Cats in Pajamas. 

Jen loves Elizabeth's patterns and has made many of them.  She also likes bright fabrics.  The kitten on the bottom left -- her grey face is drawings of cats.  Too cute. You can see the quilting design better on the photo below. It is Rhapsody Edge-to-Edge (Paw Prints.) (Another great design from My Creative Stitches.) And, yep it is a wonderfully colorful backing.  I show another picture of it further down. 

 

I didn't take all that many pictures of what I was working on this week.  So let's go straight to goals for this week. 

5/11/26

Quilt customer’s quilt

Add border to rainbow rail top

Work on UFO Challenge for May

Start sewing dash blocks together

2 concerts and 1 rehearsal

I decided to lighten up on what I hope to do this week as several days I am tied up with other things.  

I succeeded with stitching every day this week. Yea! 

Week ending 5/10/26:  130 days of 2026.

  130 stitching days out of 130 days. 100%

A group I knit kids' hats for sent out a call for a lot of them for back to a school event in July. So I've decided I'll focus on that when I'm doing handwork for a few weeks. I'm hoping to keep stitching a little on Mr. Snowman #2. We'll see if I succeed with that one. 

I did actually go backing shopping this week.  We no longer have a quilt store in our town so I hit up Hobby Lobby for it.  Not my favorite source but it was that or Michaels.  Next time I'll probably see what Michaels offers.  I found fabric for both quilts. It's going to be a week or two before I'll be able to quilt either of the quilts though.  Here's what I got. Nothing special. The top is for a baby quilt and the bottom is for a scrap quilt.  I'll have left over fabric from both of them so they may star in their own quilt one day. 

By the way, I negotiated some of Jen's backing fabric to go with a rainbow colored top I've had done for a year or so.  She's quite generous so I carefully cut enough fabric for the borders on the quilt below.  Doesn't it look great? I hope to get it sewn on this week. (Of course it'll sit in the to-be-quilted closet for a while after the border is on.) 

Have some fun this week reading blogs from around the world.  Check out links at these Linky parties. 

Stitching Time 

Oh Scrap

Quilting Patchwork Applique 

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings

Here's hoping you have a quilty week.  

Happy Quilting! Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 11 - 24 - 2025

 Wow! Thursday is Thanksgiving Day in the United States of America.  How can it already be late November? It seems like yesterday when I was complaining about how hot and humid it was! I've been mostly in my basement studio this week. And, boy did I get things done! My goals were definitely met! 

11/17/25 

✅Load quilt on Ruthie and start quilting it — finished! 

✅Finish sewing Benny blocks into rows and getting rows sewn together — finished! 

✅Finish Tall Tree sections √ 7, √ 8, and√ 3rd skirt section — all sections finished! 

✅Make the last of the Economy Blocks — finished! 

✅Finish trimming the small quarter square triangles units for Magnificent Mystery Quilt — a dent has been made but lots more to trim and the rectangle added. 

I was happy to finish off my customer's king size quilt.  I didn't think I'd get it done until next weekend.  Pictures will come after I return it to her. 

The Benny top has been measured and hung in the "To-Be-Quilted" closet.  I'm not sure when I'll find backing for it. 

I was so excited when I realized I was done with all the parts of the Tall Tree. I was able to sew the skirt sections together this afternoon. Wowee! Hum, it'll look better when the tree is finished but I like the tree skirt. 

Here it is on my design wall with some of the tree pieces. Yep, the tree sections are not sewn together yet. 

And here are the last four economy blocks I finished. I forget how many I made but I remember I was planning a big lap quilt with them.  After seeing these 4 together I wonder if I might like some sashing between them.  Time will tell. For now they will be zipped into a project bag and shelved with other unfinished projects. 

And, here's what I'm planning to do this coming week. This list might be a little much but I'm going to try to do all of them.

11/24/25

Enjoy T-Day with family 

Making a carrot cake (to take to T-Day)

Quilt in-home round robin top (domestic)

Quilt two framed 9 patch tops on Ruthie

Make 2 or 3 more R,W,B blocks for FCQ EQuilter 

Put the Tall Tree sections together 

And, I did keep my stitching time going! Here are the details. 

W/ending 11/23/25. 327 days of 2025

• 15 minute days/November 23/24
• 15 minute days/2024 = 325/327 days
• Success rate = 99.37%

I definitely got more than 15 minutes of sewing done most days that meant I did a lot of sewing this week. And, I hope to continue getting 15 minutes plus this week. 

That's it for me this week.  After Thanksgiving Week my choral groups start having concerts.  So, I'll be adding those to my goals list in December. 

Please take some time to visit these Linky parties. 

 

Stitching Stuff

Oh Scrap

Patchwork and Quilts

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings 

Happy Stitching All! Bonnie